For the past couple of months, my warehouse efficiency was dipping at regular intervals causing avoidable problems. To make space, aisles were getting used leading to overcrowding of the shipping and receiving ports. Several SKUs and pallets were mixed up in storage locations making it difficult to find specific products when needed. In some sense, things were really getting on to the nerves, and I was getting more worried with each passing day.

A few days ago, I met James at a weekend party and casually mentioned my problems to him. He listened to me very carefully and suggested that pallet racking systems can potentially solve my problem quickly. At first, I was somewhat sceptical, but when James insisted that I should give this a try, I agreed. James also gave me a couple of contacts, who had expertise in pallet racking and I agreed to explore the suggestion given.

On Monday morning, I contacted the people James had mentioned, and by the weekend I had a blueprint of what could be expected. After having examined the initial plan, I was keen to examine different options that I had in pallet racking, before deciding on the final choice. Consequently, the following options were placed before me.

Poor visibility in the rear is, however, a regular complaint from forklift operators using this type of racking.

Push-Back rack

Saving in floor space up to 40%

Can store 60% more pallets compared to the single deep pallet rack

Different pallets can be stored in each location

Retrieving and storing pallets easily with the help of centralizers stops and blocking devices

No need for forklift operators entering the racking to retrieve or store pallets thus enhancing productivity

Free from debris and dirt and hence more suited for storing food products

Connecting carts to prevent product jamming and damages which can potentially be dangerous

Offers better visibility for forklift operators since they have a better view of the front portion of the rack. Also, the forklift operator can remain on the operating side to enhance productivity.

Armed with plenty of information on the functionality of differing pallet racking systems, it was now my turn to align the information with my specific needs. I noted down the following details before moving on to my choice:-

1. Fortunately, the floor to ceiling height of my warehouse was a good 15 feet. That gave me plenty of liberty in determining the layout of the whole warehouse, how the racks would get positioned, how I keep some free some for future needs etc. I was also able to build in adequate moving space for the forklifts and people who managed the movement of material in and out of the warehouse. All safety aspects were taken into consideration, and a blueprint was ready.

2. Selective pallet racking was my choice since it offered great versatility and provided 100% selectivity for every pallet position. I also noticed that I needed more aisles and the storage density was less than some of the other options. Considering the kind of business I was involved with, these factors did not present a huge challenge for me.

3. Having zeroed down to what I would have, it was time to find appropriate vendors. This task was perhaps the easiest. I spent about an hour on the internet and once again came across an amazing range of options from multiple vendors. The fact that I had already done some ground work came in handy in eliminating duplicate information and focusing only on my specific needs.

4. Three vendors were chosen, and I asked for a meeting with all three of them. The following week I completed all the meetings, and it was now time to go out and inspect some similar installations in my neighbourhood. Two of the vendors were happy to assist me with these, and by the weekend I had a complete picture of what I was about to embark upon.

Over the following two weeks, the selective pallet racking I ordered was installed, and when the job was completed, I got all my stocks neatly moved into the racks following a system that was already existing. I was amazed to notice the functional enhancement and the neat, uncluttered space all around leaving even some extra space for future expansion. For the present, I decided to use the extra space to create a staff room and that decision was gleefully greeted by all members of my team.

The final part of my warehouse reorganisation, as you have possibly guessed right was to call James to come over and take a look. He gladly accepted the invite and confirmed that he would join me the following Saturday. Since my business is open only five days a week that was more than convenient. James did arrive with his family and was mighty impressed with the way things were organised.

It is no news that the world is gradually shifting from fossil fuel to solar energy. The gradual shift can be attributed to the efficiency and low cost of solar energy, among other factors. The concerns of most potential users include how they can get a solar panel that is big and efficient enough to provide them with the required light to power their homes and meet up with their daily energy requirements.

In this article, I will give you some useful tips that will help you get the right solar power that will meet your domestic energy need.

Before I proceed into the discussion of how you can buy the right panel, what is a solar panel?

Solar Panel

The solar panel is a panel that is designed for the purpose of absorbing sun’s ray and converting it to electricity. A Solar Photovoltaic panel contains an array of the photovoltaic system that is used for generating and supplying solar electricity for both industrial and residential applications.

Each module of the solar panel is rated according to its DC output and has a range of 100 to 350 watts. A single module can produce a few amount of power. That is the reason why most installations are made up of multiple modules.

When a solar panel is combined with a solar inverter, a solar tracker or a battery, and interconnection wiring, it forms a photovoltaic system, which is the whole system for the production of electricity for consumption.

Considering the low output of a solar system, how can you get the right solar panel and system that can adequately supply your energy need? If you confuse about this, consider getting some information from Euro Solar site.

Choosing The Right Panel For Your Home

You can get the right solar panel for your home if you do these before making your purchase:

1. Estimate your daily electricity consumption

The first step towards knowing the ideal panel to buy is by calculating your daily consumption of electricity. If you have an energy graph at the back of your energy bills, that will give you an insight into your daily energy use. An average home with a reasonable use of electrical appliances will consume between 12kw to 16kwh of energy daily.

Another factor you must consider is when you use the most electricity. Is it during the daylight when there is the sun or at night? If the higher percentage of your electricity use is during the day, you should go for a panel that will adequately meet your need as the excess energy will go into the grid, with minimum benefit. Alternatively, you can include battery storage as part of your system. With that, you can save some energy for use at night.

A typical one KW solar system will produce about 4 to 5kwh daily. This should give you an idea of the type of solar panel you need. If your energy bill doesn’t contain such information, use PVWatts to calculate the estimated energy you will need if you decide to change your energy source to solar. The tool makes allowance for some changes like location and the size of your system – crucial factors that must be considered if you need accurate estimation.

2. Buy a solar system that can generate your daily energy demand

When you’ve got an estimate of your daily requirement, use that information to buy the solar system that can generate what you need. For instance, if you use 15khw of energy per day and about half of your consumption is during the daylight, buying a 2kwh solar system is enough to generate what you need on a daily basis. If 1kwh generates between 4kwh and 5kwh energy, the 2kwh solar panel should produce between 8kwh and 10kwh which will generate enough energy for your daily need. Just as I mentioned above, if you buy a panel that produces more than what you need, the excess is a waste without a battery storage.

3. Consider whether you need battery storage

It is not all solar system installations that have the benefit of battery storage. If you want it, it can be installed for you. Before you go for battery storage, ask yourself why you need it. Do you want to install it to save some energy for use at night? Or do you want to bypass the grid? The motive behind the decision will determine how much storage capacity you need. Your installer can help you with this.

Conclusion

Going solar is a good thing if you can make the right moves. With the tips above, you should be able to conveniently calculate your domestic power need and install the right solar system to cater to that adequately. If you need professional help, consult a Euro Solar broker at no charge.

With the gradual decrease in the price of installation and its efficiency, the use of solar power has come to stay. Don’t be left out of this opportunity.

If you want your lawn to be appreciated by every nature lover, you will have to give it constant attention. Starting from lawn mowing to weed control, almost every aspect of taking care of a garden is a complex science. Many homeowners have a wish to maintain their lawn, but they end up failing because of lack of experience as well as proper knowledge. Hiring a professional garden maintenance company is always the safest bet. Such companies offer a complete package including weed control, fertilisation, watering, and landscaping but it’s usually better for homeowners to manage some of the tasks their self as it’s not only pleasurable but also a good source for learning this profession.

If you are an amateur gardener, better hand over the land mowing job to a professional team. It is a hard chore to select a proper machine for your grass type and using it without any guidance can lead to distorted grass shape and severe problems like uneven height at different parts of the lawn. Why damage the grass and then wait for recovery because of wrong guesswork, when professionals are here to help you out at very affordable rates? A well-managed lawn is not only the best relaxation place, but it also adds important value to your house. Do you know that the licensed lawn mowing companies pay for the insurance of their workers? That means if anyone gets injured while working on your property, you will not be liable. Paying few bucks to such an organised company not only enhances the beauty of a garden but also allows one to break free from worry.

Maintenance of lawn mowing machines is also not cheap, and especially the replacement cost is no less than $400 for high-end and $150 for low-end devices. No doubt, lawn mowing professionals cost considerably high as well, but multiple options for cutting the bill are still there. For instance, you can request them to visit only twice a month for better affordability. You can also avail other services like watering and fertilisation, in addition to lawn mowing, for discounted prices. The choice is all yours!

The market offers many genres of lawn mowing machines for different grass types. Professional lawn mowers do best because they know which one suits your garden better. Other than that, every model is designed to handle differently, and someone who is not in this profession cannot operate each one correctly. Let’s take an example that clarifies how professionals chose the type of mowing machine for your particular lawn. A self-propelled machine or a riding machine is for large lands (normally more than an acre) for two primary reasons. Firstly, because it can hold a lot of clippings in its big bag and faces no problem while ploughing through dense grass, and secondly, it is more efficient at eliminating weeds. Push machine is used by professionals for smaller yards and at places that are steep. Riding mowers can easily tip over on those locations, creating a dangerous situation. How about utilising a professional’s experience to avoid investing in a tool that is not even suitable for your land?

Real lawn mowing professionals believe that every lawn is unique and must be analysed properly before starting the mowing process. They understand that different natural factors like weed proliferation, grass variety, and cut height vary with every land. They carry years of experience with them and learn how to properly utilise it to make lawn mowing beneficial for the health of your lawn. For example, they realise that cutting grass at the right height allows the roots grow deeper into the soil which not only increases the strength of the lawn but also reduces the watering need.

Are you bored of your garden and want to change its look? Have you already planted your favourite flowers but still want something else for a change? Well, that’s where a professional lawn mowing company can help you big time. Let your lawn be the talk of the town by choosing from a list of grass patterns available with most of the companies. These professionals understand that mowing is an art and their customers are paying for some highly creative work. These out-of-the-box mowing ideas are implemented mostly in summers because grass grows more frequently in warm weather. Hence, more experiments can be done, and if the owner does not like the pattern, they can replace with another one in a shorter period. Just as a reference, many homeowners love to mow the grass in stripes, circular and wavy pattern. Few folks successfully end up carrying out the task themselves, but that needs a lot of time and effort. A simple mistake can ruin the shape of the overall garden. That’s exactly why the professional lawn mowing business has thrived so much lately.

Many lawn mowing companies offer an online quote and complete your work on the same or very next day. Always ask few basic questions from their administration before signing off a contract. You may enquire about their license, the expertise of the workers as well as their unique and creative lawn mowing projects in past few years. Moreover, do an extensive online search to know about their client’s quality of experience and if possible communicate with few of those over the phone before handing over the most precious part of your home to a company.